This application claims priority to French Patent Application No. 02 10447 filed on Aug. 21, 2002, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference herein.
The present invention relates to improvements to above-ground swimming pools with a rigid structure, comprising a rigid peripheral wall made of a rot-resistant material supported by posts and a flexible waterproof liner arranged in the space defined by the rigid wall and attached to the upper edge of the said wall.
Swimming pools of this kind, intended for the general public, are generally installed in a garden in the middle of a lawn. Aesthetically, however, they are not very attractive, whatever the method of construction or materials used (metal and/or plastic).
There is therefore a demand among users for a better external finish to these swimming pools, particularly in order to integrate them more satisfactorily into the environment of the garden in which they are set up. An external finish in wood would meet this aspiration.
It is for this reason that swimming pools are available on the market that are constructed entirely of wood, with a wall formed from vertical wooden boards (staves) set side by side in a roughly circular or oval outline and held in place by external metal strapping, in a technique derived from the manufacture of barrels.
This type of swimming pool has the disadvantages inherent in its structure: erection is somewhat complex, it is impossible to produce swimming pools in anything other than circular or oval shapes, it is almost impossible to make large swimming pools, and the owner is effectively obliged to keep the water in the pool to avoid movement in the wooden boards. In addition, installing these swimming pools necessitates very meticulous preparation of the ground.
Another known type of swimming pool comprises a rigid structure of wood, in the form for example of planks or round timbers assembled with intersecting extremities, while the water is contained by using a flexible inner liner as in a conventional swimming pool: see in particular documents EP A-0 756 650; FR-A-2 785 003; FR-A-2 745 600 and FR-A-2 376 276.
The drawback with this type of swimming pool is that the wooden structure is difficult to erect, requiring skill and appropriate equipment, and it is beyond the capabilities of the average do-it-yourselfer. Moreover, moisture appearing underneath the flexible liner wets the wood and the wood can quickly become damaged: as a result, careful and regular maintenance is required.
To summarize, the abovementioned swimming pools with a wooden structure do not fulfil the requirements of the majority of users as their material is subject to rot and they are sensitive to water (humidity, condensation and contact with the ground). As a result, they have not gained wide popularity.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an improved structure for an above-ground swimming pool with a rigid structure that better meets the aspirations of users.
To this end, an above-ground swimming pool with a rigid structure as set out in the preamble is characterized in that
along their full height, the posts comprise an interior portion made of a rot-resistant material to which the abovementioned rigid wall is secured and an externally projecting portion having at least two grooves, one on either side, and
cladding panels having at least externally at least the appearance of wood are slid into the opposing grooves of two consecutive posts;
the externally projecting portions of the posts being of such dimensions and the grooves being so positioned that there is a gap between the cladding panels and the rigid wall,
In a preferred embodiment, the swimming pool possesses a polygonal general form and the rigid wall is formed from rigid panels made of rot-resistant material each fixed to the respective interior portions of successive posts. In an advantageous illustrative embodiment, the rigid panels comprise lateral edges extending outwards and each rigid panel is engaged between the respective interior portions of two consecutive posts with the extending edges applied against the said interior portions of the respective posts and screwed to them, that face of the rigid panel which is towards the interior of the swimming pool being flush with the respective inward-facing faces of the posts.
In one practical illustrative embodiment, the cladding panels are made of a composite wood/polymer material having at least externally the appearance of wood. The type of material envisaged is advantageous because it is easy to machine and has good performance in the presence of humidity and water.
However, it is of course possible for the cladding panels to be made of wood, in which case the arrangement can be such that each cladding panel made of wood is constructed by stacking several wooden planks on edge.
The externally projecting portion of each post may be made of wood, in which case the post has a mixed structure with the projecting wood portion attached to that portion of the post, by which the rigid wall is supported, that is itself made of a rot-resistant material.
It is of course also conceivable for the externally projecting portion of each post to be a section made of a wood/polymer composite material.
In practice, the rigid wall and the interior portion of the posts, which are made of rot-resistant materials, are made of a plastic material, or preferably are made of metal (non-oxidizing metal such as stainless steel or galvanized steel or aluminium).
Advantageously again, the respective upper edges of the rigid wall that support the section to which the flexible liner is fastened, on the one hand, and of the wooden cladding panels on the other, are situated essentially at the same height and a coping is attached to the upper edge of the wooden cladding panels in such a way that it straddles the said edges of both the rigid wall and the cladding panels and the gap between them.
Thus, owing to the provisions of the invention, the structure made of wood or having the appearance of wood is no more than simply cladding around the conventional rigid wall of the swimming pool. This preserves the conventional rigid structure, whose qualities (strength and watertightness) are well known and proven while the wooden cladding, which is not required to exhibit specific functional qualities, can be installed relatively quickly and easily without special tools.
As a result of this, the ground on which the swimming pool is laid can be prepared (made flat and horizontal) in a simple manner, in the same way as for a conventional rigid above-ground swimming pool, without having to call in a specialist.
The relative configurations of the rigid wall and the cladding panels made of wood, with the maintenance between them of a sufficient gap (in practice of the order of 2 to 3 cm for example) even if the wall of the swimming pool is slightly deformed under the pressure of the water, ensures that the surface of the wood is aired and prevents moisture, which may develop on the back of the rigid wall, from wetting the cladding panels.
In addition, due to the design itself of the proposed structure in accordance with the invention, it is conceivable for the cladding made of wood or having the appearance of wood to be attached with no great difficulty around a pre-existing above-ground swimming pool that has already been installed.
Lastly, the provisions in accordance with the invention allow a great deal of freedom in the design and/or siting of the swimming pool. For instance, the provisions can be followed in the case of an above-ground swimming pool that is partly below ground level: in this case the rigid wall extends the full height of the pool, including the lower part which is below ground, and the cladding panels are arranged only around the above-ground part of the swimming pool, which is the only visible part.